Oliver Backhouse

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Backhouse at work in Australia, c. 1916-1918.
Photo: Imperial War Museum. © IWM (Q 18757).

Admiral SIR Oliver Backhouse, C.B., Royal Navy, Retired (5 June, 1875 – 25 March, 1943) was an officer of the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Backhouse was appointed to Excellent on 12 January, 1905, as Lieutenant (G) on the Senior Staff.[1]

On 30 June, 1908, Backhouse was promoted to the rank of Commander.[2]

He was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1914.[3]

Great War

Backhouse was appointed in command of the armed merchant cruiser Victorian on 4 August. He was appointed to President additional on 17 August, and on the 21st he was appointed to Victory as a Commodore, Second Class in command of a Naval Brigade.

On 14 October, 1915, he relieved Frederic Charles Dreyer in command of Orion.[4] On 7 November he was appointed an Additional Member of the Third Class, or Companion, of the Military Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (C.B.) for his service with the Royal Naval Division at Gallipoli.[5] He was in command of Orion at the Battle of Jutland and wrote her report on the battle, in which he recorded firing 51 rounds throughout by director, suffering no damage.

On 14 December, 1916, he took command of H.M.A.S. Australia,[6] remaining in command until 1 September, 1918.[7] On 28 September, 1918 he took command of the battleship Resolution.[8]

Post-War

He was appointed in command of the battleship Ramillies on 6 April, 1919 and then appointed the Naval Member of the Ordnance Committee on 15 September, 1920 until superseded in February, 1922.[9]

He was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 17 February, 1925, vice Hodges.[10]

Backhouse was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral on 9 October, 1929, vice Watson, promoted to the rank of Admiral. He was placed on the Retired List on 10 October.[11]

Bibliography

  • "Admiral O. Backhouse" (Obituaries). The Times. Saturday, 27 March, 1943. Issue 49505, col D, p. 6.

Papers

Service Records

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Philip J. Stopford
Captain of H.M.S. Angler
16 Jul, 1901 – Aug, 1901
Succeeded by
Basil A. Austen
Preceded by
Frederic C. Dreyer
Captain of H.M.S. Orion
14 Oct, 1915[12] – 14 Dec, 1916[13]
Succeeded by
Eric J. A. Fullerton
Preceded by
Stephen H. Radcliffe
Captain of H.M.A.S. Australia
14 Dec, 1916[14] – 1 Sep, 1918[15]
Succeeded by
Thomas N. James
Preceded by
Brian H. F. Barttelot
Captain of H.M.S. Resolution
28 Sep, 1918[16] – Mar, 1919[17]
Succeeded by
Argentine H. Alington
Preceded by
John Luce
Captain of H.M.S. Ramillies
6 Apr, 1919[18] – May, 1919[19]
Succeeded by
Aubrey C. H. Smith
Preceded by
Henry M. Doughty
Captain of H.M.S. Royal Sovereign
16 Jun, 1919[20] – 15 Sep, 1920[21]
Succeeded by
Robert N. Bax
Preceded by
Cecil Maxwell-Lefroy
Naval Member of the Ordnance Committee
15 Sep, 1920[22]
Succeeded by
Joseph C. W. Henley
Preceded by
Louis C. S. Woollcombe
Admiral Superintendent, Devonport Dockyard
1 Mar, 1927[23]
Succeeded by
Harold O. Reinold

Footnotes

  1. "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Saturday, 14 January, 1905. Issue 37604, col B, p. 6.
  2. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 28151. p. 4644. 26 June, 1908.
  3. The London Gazette: no. 28842. p. 4880. 22 June, 1914.
  4. The Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 396h.
  5. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 29358. p. 11029. 8 November, 1915.
  6. The Navy List. (November, 1917). p. 399j.
  7. The Navy List. (December, 1918). p. 946. There might be a better source for this.
  8. The Navy List. (December, 1918). p. 894.
  9. Backhouse Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 206.
  10. The London Gazette: no. 33025. p. 1426. 27 February, 1925.
  11. The London Gazette: no. 33542. p. 6476. 11 October, 1929.
  12. The Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 396h.
  13. Backhouse Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 206.
  14. The Navy List. (November, 1917). p. 399j.
  15. Backhouse Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 206.
  16. The Navy List. (December, 1918). p. 894.
  17. Backhouse Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 206.
  18. Backhouse Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 206.
  19. Backhouse Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 206.
  20. The Navy List. (August, 1919). p. 899.
  21. Backhouse Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 206.
  22. Backhouse Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 206.
  23. Backhouse Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 206.